A Better Man?
By: Clark Shutt

It’s Friday morning and young Leelanau men emerge from the shadows of the woods and gather in the meadow. Quietly, they line their packs up in neat rows to load back onto the bus. Their faces are smudged with dirt and camouflage paint, but that fails to hide the glimmer in their eyes and radiant grins. If there is strength in unity of thought, then these are stronger better men. I’m referring to my opportunity to pick up the teams who participated in the 2007 Senior Flag trip. This trip is a four-day adventure of skills and competition recognized as a sort of right-of-passage or coming-of-age experience by all who have ever participated. It happens close to the end of the summer, and the 2007 Senior Flag Trip definitely reflected the spirit and success of the entire seven weeks of summer camp.

“Truth is revealed. It needs only to be practiced.” Science and Health 174:20. At camp, daily prayer is recognized as fundamentally vital to success. Spiritual preparation work is expected of counselors, campers and CT’s alike. The counselors lead the way as they prepare to guide campers and encourage them in daily spiritual study. The subject of the Daily Bible Lesson sermon during the week of the flag trip was “Truth.” Those young men entered the woods with the symbol of Truth as a two-edged sword to guard and guide them every moment. They practiced Truth as they built their structures, cooked their meals, stood guard in the moonlight, and chased each other through the hills and valleys.

The flag trip is a challenge. There’s no question about that. Team members navigate individual challenges on the trip, and these challenges allow each participant to grow in his ability to realize and demonstrate the healing might of Truth. It is so important that they learn to build the connection between their preparatory metaphysical work and daily activity.

“What did you learn?” This is the question I asked of the flag trippers as we sat in the meadow before piling onto the bus. My heart smiled as their spontaneous answers related to inspiration, growth, understanding and healing. That is what it’s all about—learning that Christian Science is applicable to the challenges we face in our everyday lives. Hearing these young men enthusiastically share their testimonies of growth as Christian Scientists is truly inspirational.

This trip is ultimately about strengthening our understanding of man as the spiritual idea of God through practical application. One aspect of recognizing God’s man is gained by practicing a higher sense of competition. Leelanau consists of two teams, the North Manitou team and the South Manitou team. Competition is encouraged and good sportsmanship is fostered as the teams work, play hard, and cheer each other on to achieve greater skill levels. We see spirit played out as cabins vie for the weekly Honor Cabin title and campers and counselors alike cheer each other on during water polo at the shallows and at Saturday night soccer.

The Senior Flag trip is competition at its best. As the teams piled back onto the bus, I hear the chatter. I know they’re sharing stories of moments to become the “legends” retold to future flag teams preparing for their flag trips. On the return trip home North and South sit side by side and the big blue bus rocks down Port Oneida Road to the inspired words of “Stand up and Cheer.”

I often refer to camp as the “training ground” where true spiritual character building is defined in all activities. It happens daily at Leelanau as the Early Bird learns to work as a team member with his cabin mates at cleanup, as the Backwoodsman learns to windsurf, as the CT applies his skills to canoe the white water of a Canadian river, and as the counselor finds the rewards of going the extra mile with his campers. In return, at the end of the summer, Leelanau goes back with them to the “proving ground” known as home, school, the athletic field, the work place where they return as better men.

“If Truth is overcoming error
in your daily walk and conversation,
you can finally say,
`I have fought a good fight….
I have kept the faith,
because you are
a better man.”
S&H 21:1-4